UK politics live: Tax rises like this must never be just done to business, CBI chief tells Reeves
Rain Newton-Smith said that business had been caught ‘off-guard’ by national insurance hikes
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The head of a key UK business group has warned that “tax rises like this must never again be simply done to business”, in a warning to Rachel Reeves.
In a stinging speech, Confederation of British Industry chief executive Rain Newton-Smith said the said the measures announced last month have made it harder for businesses to “take a chance” on hiring new people.
She added that employers were caught “off-guard” by the hike in national insurance contributions in the autumn budget.
However, the chancellor is expected to tell the group there was “no alternative” to tax rises after she announced a nearly £70bn uplift in public spending, partly funded by sharp increases in business taxes.
Speaking at the CBI’s annual conference in London, she will say: “Across the board, in so many sectors, margins are being squeezed and profits are being hit by a tough trading environment that just got tougher.
Ahead of her discussion with Scottish Power CEO Keith Anderson, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch will give a speech at 1pm.
Meanwhile, the government has launched a crackdown on welfare benefits as the prime minister promises a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to cheats and debate continues on the voluntary assisted dying bill due to be debated in parliament later this week.’
Kemi Badenoch says she saw herself as a ‘champion’ for business in last role
Kemi Badenoch has taken to the stage at the CBI annual conference, telling business leaders that they should study politician by “what they did when they had the chance”.
The Conservative leader asked: “How do you know whether a politician is actually going to do what it is they say they’ll do?
“You can only look back on their track record,” she says.
She stressed that when she was business secretary, she “tried to lift the burden off businesses” by fighting with other departments over regulation, saying she saw herself as their “champion around the cabinet table”.
“It is because I know that it is not government that creates growth - it is business. Government often needs to get out of the way,” she argues.
Cabinet splits over assisted dying legislation
The Cabinet is split over the issue of assisted dying, with more members believed to be in favour than against ahead of the vote on the law change this week.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband have all said they will back the law.
Others, including Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, have been less explicit, but indicated their support for the measures in the Bill.
Meanwhile Ms Mahmood, Mr Streeting, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds have said they will reject the legislation.
Lord Falconer, a former justice secretary and longstanding proponent of a change in the law, criticised the Justice Secretary’s intervention on Sunday.
On Monday, Downing Street declined to be drawn into the row between Lord Falconer and Ms Mahmood, saying it was “up to MPs to determine their position on (the Bill)” and the Prime Minister “respects that there are strongly held views on all sides of the debate”.
Watch: Keir Starmer reacts to general election petition
Downing Street avoid war of words with Elon Musk
Downing Street sought to avoid being drawn into a war of words with Elon Musk after the tech tycoon and Donald Trump ally used his X social media site to highlight a petition calling for another election and branding the UK a “tyrannical police state”.
Asked about Mr Musk’s words, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I’m not going to be drawn on individual comments.”
The spokesman added: “The Prime Minister is focused on the issues that matter most to the British people.
“That’s what the Government was elected to deliver on – protecting our streets is obviously a key part of the Government mission and a key part of the platform the Government was elected on, as well as growing the economy, securing the borders and a number of the other priorities that we have discussed.”
No 10 also insisted it was looking forward to working with US President-elect Trump and his team.
“The Prime Minister looks forward to working with President Trump and his whole team, including Elon Musk, to work on issues, to deepen and develop the special UK-US relationship across trade, investment, security, defence – a wide range of areas the UK and US already share a deep and special relationship on and the Prime Minister looks forward to going further.”
No10 decline to support criticism of justice secretary over assisted dying vote
Downing Street declined to agree with Labour peer Lord Falconer’s criticism of the Justice Secretary over her remarks on assisted dying legislation.
Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer agreed with Lord Falconer that Shabana Mahmood was seeking to “impose” her religious beliefs on others, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has been very clear that this is a free vote.
“It is up to MPs to determine their position on it. The PM respects that there are strongly held views on all sides of the debate, but the whole of Government is united in respecting the will of Parliament.”
Asked whether the Prime Minister thought Cabinet members had complied with the rules in their comments on assisted dying, he said: “We’ve been clear that the Government will remain neutral but Cabinet members will clearly be voting as MPs with independent views.
“And it will be perfectly normal that there will be different views in that respect and it is obviously expected that they will want to explain to their constituents how they are going to vote on this highly emotive issue.”
Keir Starmer enjoys bumper weekend
After enjoying his beloved Arsenal beating Nottingham Forrest 3-0 at home on Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer took his daughter to an escape room on Sunday.
The prime minister thought he would get away with dropping her off for the birthday treat and enjoying a cup of coffee while he waited.
“No, no, no,” his daughter told him, “you’re in there with me”.
So Sir Keir was dragged into the escape room and was locked in having to decode clues to discover a way out.
He also revealed his new kitten Prince has not yet met Downing Street’s famous mouse catcher Larry, as he spoke about his family’s Christmas plans.
Asked for an update on the Starmer family Siberian kitten, Sir Keir told ITV’s This Morning: “Prince is the name of the kitten.
“So, Prince and Larry haven’t met yet. I am worried that Larry will come off the better – the kitten is tiny.”
Letters: It would indeed show great strength if Reeves and Starmer ‘retreated’
I read John Rentoul’s optimistic column (“Rachel Reeves is standing by her ‘tough decisions’ – but for how long?”, Saturday 23 November) with interest, and bow to his political nous about this.
Instead of showing weakness, it would indeed show strength from Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer – that they had listened, understood and were ready to think again.
I am personally not so sure that they will, because I don’t think they really “get it”, in relation to the removal of the winter fuel allowance. As Martin Lewis states; it was a cliff-edge decision, with so many pensioners just marginally over the pension credit threshold losing out. Of course, it needed reforming, but not in such a punitive, cack-handed fashion.
Read letters from our readers here:
Letters: It would show great strength if Reeves and Starmer ‘retreated’
Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk
Starmer talks up his kitchen handy work
Sir Keir Starmer has hyped up his handiness in the kitchen, detailing the deliciousness of his salmon and quorn tandooris.
The prime minister said he loves to cook, especially on Saturdays, because he finds it relaxing. Asked on ITV’s This Morning what his top dishes are, the PM said: “My tandoori salmon and tandoori quorn is coming on very, very nicely.”
But Sir Keir said he is often overruled at dinner time by his kids, who demand a standard pasta bake. “I get the recipe book out and say I am going to do this, then the kids get involved, we negotiate and end up with a pasta bake very often because that is what they will always eat,” Sir Keir added.
Challenged over his cooking, the PM committed to showing up for another episode of the ITV show to present his own cooking segment.
Health and legal experts among 73 academics to sign letter opposing ‘inadequate’ assisted dying bill
Leading academic experts in the fields of health, end-of-life care and the legal system have joined together to sign an open letter opposing the assisted dying bill which MPs are due to debate on Friday.
The bill tabled by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater would for the first time allow for the NHS to assist people to take their own lives.
Ms Leadbeater and supporters of the legislation claim the bill would provide the “strictest safeguards anywhere in the world” to prevent the system being abused and ensure it only applied to terminally ill patients. Among these are that any requests to end life would need to be signed off by two doctors and a judge.
Read the full article here:
Health and legal experts among 73 academics to sign letter opposing assisted dying
Exclusive: The letter says that a private members bill to legalise assisted dying is ‘inadequate’ adding that it ‘lacks prudence...at a time of crisis for the NHS’
Starmer rules out calling another general election
Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out calling another general election, but said he was “not surprised” some people who did not support Labour might want a second poll.
The Prime Minister was asked by ITV’s This Morning about a petition calling for another election on the Parliament website, now signed by two million people.
Sir Keir told the programme: “Look, I remind myself that very many people didn’t vote Labour at the last election.
“I’m not surprised that many of them want a rerun. That isn’t how our system works.
“There will be plenty of people who didn’t want us in in the first place.
“So, what my focus is on is the decisions that I have to make every day.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments